Complications associated with the use of the Fogarty balloon catheter

Over the past eight years at the OMCH Fogarty balloon catheter have been used for one hundred instances of acute arterial occlusion and for twenty instances of venous thrombosis. Compication developed on seven occasions, three in the operation for arterial thrombosis and four during venous thrombectomy. Three types of complications in the arterial system were encountered: removal of intima with thrombi, arterial rupture and thrombotic occlusion due to dissection of intima. All of these complications were successfully treated with appropriate procedures. Two types of complications in the venous system were encountered: perforation of iliac vein by the tip of the catheter (3 cases) and loss of the balloon intravenously (1 case). In the former complicated group, the first case died of hemorrhagic shock, the second case recovered uneventfully without any procedures and the last case was successfully trated by operative hemostatic procedure. In the case of latter complication, it was not possible to remove the lost balloon in the left posterior tibial vein in spite of strenuous efforts to retrieve it. Detailed discussion for prevention or treatment of these complications was done chiefly based on our experience.